Office of Naval Records and History
Ships' Histories Section

Department of the Navy

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

The keel of the ill-fated SQUALUS (later re-named SAILFISH), was laid on 18 October 1937 at the U. S. Navy Yard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The submarine slid down the ways eleven months later, on 14 September 1938, sponsored by Mrs. Thomas C. Hart, wife of Rear Admiral Hart, USN. She was commissioned USS SQUALUS (SS 192) on 1 March 1939, with Lieutenant Oliver F. Naquin, USN, as her first Commanding Officer.

SQUALUS was completely fitted out by 12 May, and then commenced her testing period off Portsmouth. After having made eighteen successful dives in the previous tests, while operating off the Isle of Shoals, the sub made a trial drive at 0740 on 23 May, from which she never recovered. Due to mechanical failure, which caused the flooding of her after section, SQUALUS went to the bottom, settling 240 feet beneath the surface, and then commenced sending up smoke bombs to the surface, signaling her distress.

Her sister ship, the submarine SCULPIN, which has been alerted to look for the missing sub in that area, spotted one of the bombs at 1241 and marked the spot with a grapnel with a buoy attached.

Quickly, the whole nation was alerted. Divers, salvage and submarine experts were immediately dispatched to the scene of the disaster. Preliminary observations and preparations were made by a Navy diver. At 1130 the following day the newly developed rescue chamber was lowered over the side of the USS FALCON and at 1247 contact was established with the entrapped crew.

In four trips, the last one attended by great danger because of weakening of the wires attached to the rescue chamber, all 33 men in the sub who lived after the ship made her fateful dive, were rescued. The fate of the remaining 26 submariners was determined by the fifth and last trip of the chamber to the bottom. The "diving bell" this time was attached to the after section of the sub, which was found to be flooded, leaving no doubt that the remaining 26 men had perished with their ship.

Rescue operations were secured at 2107 on 25 May 1939, and then the submarine salvage experts began the difficult and arduous task of raising SQUALUS from such a great depth.

The method used in the salvage operations involved the use of wood sheathed steel cylindrical pontoons which were to be attached to cables passed beneath the hull of the sub. These pontoons were submerged and then "blown out", thus, furnishing SQUALUS with additional buoyancy necessary to raise her from the bottom.

The salvage operations were dogged with misfortune and new difficulties arose every day. On 12 August the submarine was raised 80 feet from the bottom, towed two miles, and then she struck an uncharted pinnacle and grounded. Finally on 13 September, SQUALUS rose from the bottom, her bow broke the water, and then misfortune struck, as she again plunged into the murky depths. However, that very same day the determined salvage crew again raised the sub and this time they met with success. That night, after laying on the ocean's floor for 113 days, SQUALUS was towed home into the Portsmouth Navy Yard, thus climaxing the grueling salvage task seldom (if ever) paralleled in the Navy's history.

As the black clouds of war had just then burst over Europe, the Navy needed every ship, so it was decided to recondition SQUALUS. The sub was decommissioned on 15 November 1939, and after six months of extensive overhaul, she was recommissioned on 15 May 1940, as USS SAILFISH (SS 192) with Lieutenant Commander M. C. Mumma, Jr., USN, as Commanding Officer.

Her refitting complete, SAILFISH held trial runs off Provencetown, Massachusetts, for three days (17 to 20 September 1940) and on 16 January 1941 she sailed to join the Pacific Fleet.

SAILFISH transitted the Panama Canal and following a refueling stop on the West Coast, proceeded to Pearl Harbor. The sub then sailed to Manila, Philippine Islands, where she operated with Submarines, Asiatic Fleet, until the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

At the outbreak of the war (7 December 1941) SAILFISH was at Manila, and on the following day she steamed out of Manila, en route to her First War Patrol along the west coast of Luzon.

That night she made her contact, an enemy cargo ship, and the following night two more ships of the same type were contacted, but not attacked. At 0230 on 13 December contact was made with three Japanese destroyers, and SAILFISH dived and commenced tracking. At 0250, firing position attained, she fired a brace of torpedoes at one of the enemy ships, and scored a hit. Immediately diving deep, she rigged for depth charge attack, which was quickly forthcoming.

However, none of the 20 charges dropped were close enough to cause serious damage. Many breaking-up noises were heard, indicating that her target was sinking, and then the sub cleared the area.

Four days later on 17 December she returned to Manila, thus completing her initial war patrol, having sunk one of the first enemy warships to be accounted for by the U. S. Navy.

Her refit completed, SAILFISH got underway from Manila on 21 December on Second War Patrol. On the 22nd after picking her way through the mine fields, she made contact with a large Japanese submarine off Cabre Island. However, the enemy quickly disappeared into the depths and no attack could be made. Sighting two undesirable targets in the previous days, it was not until 2 January 1942 that SAILFISH made contact with a vessel of sufficient size. This enemy ship was tracked and then fired upon, however, due to the radical zigzagging course the target was on, the torpedoes missed and the target passed out of sight.

She continued patrolling in her area off Taiwan, and on 26 January while patrolling off Cape St. Augustine, she made contact with an enemy cruiser, which was at too great a distance to be attacked. However, SAILFISH headed westward to intercept any ships the Japanese may have been escorting. The following day at 0721 three enemy supply ships were sighted, but the sub was unable to close the distance.

While trailing the supply ships, an enemy cruiser and two destroyers were sighted and tracked. Closing in, SAILFISH hove into position, the target being the Japanese cruiser, and fired a spread of four missiles at her. The submarine then sought the !'comforting" depths and rigged for depth charge attack. One torpedo explosion was heard, but the damage to the enemy ship could not be seen, as the Japanese destroyers now were the hunters. One of the destroyers evidently knew where she was, and kept "sniffing" in her direction, but for some unknown reason no depth charges were dropped.

SAILFISH ran at 260 feet during the enemy destroyer's search, and after three hours she came to periscope depth to find the horizon clear.

On February, while transitting Peleng Strait an enemy merchantman was sighted, tracked and attacked, but no hits were scored. During the final days of the patrol she made few contacts, and on 14 February she made rendezvous with a station ship and entered Tjilatjap, Java, thus completing her Second War Patrol.

After a short refit, SAILFISH got underway on 19 February for her Third War Patrol north of Malay Barrier and after transitting Lombok Strait and Alas Strait, she entered her assigned patrol area.

On 28 February at 0330, SAILFISH made contact with a cruiser and two destroyers, and commenced tracking. However, upon approach no attack was made as the cruiser's silhouette resembled USS HOUSTON, and it was later assumed that this was the allied force under Admiral Doorman, Netherlands Navy, steaming from the Battle of the Java Sea, towards Soenda Strait from which the ships never returned.

Continuing her patrol, SAILFISH sighted an enemy destroyer on 2 March, maneuvered into position, and sent a brace of missiles at the DD. No hits were scored and the subs sought the depths. No depth charging was forth-coming. However, shortly thereafter, she was subjected to a bombing by an enemy plane. Four hours later she came to periscope depth and found that the Japanese ship and planes had cleared the area.

That night, while on a southwesterly course, SAILFISH made contact with a Japanese aircraft carrier escorted by four destroyers and commenced tracking. That the enemy knew of the submarine's presence was proven when the enemy commenced dropping depth charges. However, SAILFISH was not to be frightened away from such a lucrative target. She hove into position at 2059 and fired a spread of four torpedoes at the carrier. Two hits were scored on the target and flames shot up 150 feet from the sinking ship.

The underseas raider quickly dove deep, commenced silent running and rigged for depth charge attack. The Japanese destroyers then made a very accurate dept charge attack, dropping eight charges extremely close aboard (from 100 to 200 yards), but these caused little damage. SS 192 cleared the area and surfaced after not hearing the enemy escort for three hours.

SAILFISH evidently, now was the subject of an intense search by the Japanese, as in the following days, she sighted many enemy destroyers "sniffing" around for her, and was subjected to another fierce depth charge attack three days later.

During the latter part of her patrol, SAILFISH made contact with enemy shipping, but was unable to make any attacks. The submarine proceeded to Fremantle, Australia, arriving there on 19 March, thus ending a very successful patrol.

Completing her refit, SAILFISH steamed out of Fremantle on 13 June, enroute to her Fifth War Patrol. She proceeded through Lombok Strait, Macassar Strait, Sibutu Passage and Balabac Passage, arriving in her assigned patrol area on 29 June.

SAILFISH continued patrolling in her area, and on 4 July, she sighted,tracked, and gained position to attack, only to find out that the target was an enemy hospital ship. On 9 July, while patrolling off the Indo-China coast, she made contact with an enemy freighter (about 7,000 tons) and commenced tracking. SAILFISH got into position and fired a brace of torpedoes at the target. The first missile scored a hit and immediately the freighter took a 1500 list to starboard. Shortly thereafter, SAILFISH dove as a series of explosions was heard from an unknown origin (there were no other ship or planes in the vicinity). It is believed that the freighter sank shortly afterwards as no screw noises were picked up after the hit and upon surfacing an hour and a half after the attack, she was not in sight.

SAILFISH then cleared the area and continued her patrol, making contact with only one enemy vessel, before pulling into Fremantle on 1 August 1942, at the end of her patrol.

The submarine moved from Fremantle to Albany, Australia, for her refit, and on 28 August, with her refit completed, she steamed out of Albany enroute to Brisbane. SS 192 arrived there on 7 September, and on the 13th she departed to the Buin-Faisi area, Solomon Islands, for her Sixth War Patrol.

The underseas raider contacted two Japanese destroyers on 17 September, and while making her approach, six more enemy destroyers were sighted. No attack was attempted. At 1035 the following morning, contact was made with eight destroyers and one cruiser, and again no attack was attempted against such suicidal odds,

On the 19th, contact was established with an enemy minelayer, which was tracked and attacked. SAILFISH fired a spread of three torpedoes, which missed, and then the submarine dove deep and rigged for depth charges. Eleven accurate charges were dropped by the enemy minelayer, causing much minor damage.

SAILFISH continued to patrol in her area, and during this patrol she made many contacts. However, due to overwhelming odds and bad weather, no attacks were possible. SAILFISH moored at Brisbane, Australia at 0900 on 1 November, completing her sixth patrol.

Her refit completed, SAILFISH got underway on 24 November enroute to the southern coast of New Britain for her Seventh War Patrol. She made her first attack on 2 December, firing a spread of torpedoes at an enemy destroyer. No hits were scored, and she was then subjected to depth charges which did no damage.

No enemy contacts were made until 24 December, when at 2345, an enemy submarine was sighted. Early Christmas morning, the enemy submarine was approached, a brace of torpedoes fired, scoring a direct hit. The enemy submarine was sunk.

On 30 December, SAILFISH made two unsuccessful attacks on (1) an enemy freighter, and (2) a destroyer, and after the last attack she was subjected to intensive depth charging. She continued her patrol, however, and shortly thereafter sailed towards Pearl Harbor, arriving there at 1200 on 15 January 1943. Thus, completing her seventh patrol.

Five days later, SAILFISH set sail for the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, arriving there on the 27th. At Mare Island, she underwent a major overhaul, and on 22 April 1943, she got underway, back to Pearl Harbor. Upon arrival there, on 30 April, she was refitted, and following a training period, she left port, heading towards her Eight War Patrol, on 17 May.

She arrived at Midway Islands on 21 May, for refueling, and provisions. She departed the same day. Arriving at her new area, SAILFISH made many contacts with the enemy. On 15 June, south of Todo Saki, two major enemy vessels were sighted and tracked.

The enemy targets were in line, SAILFISH made her approach on the lead ship, however, the vessel turned suddenly making an attack on it impossible. SAILFISH dove, crossed the lead ship's track, and came up in position to fire upon the second vessel. She scored a direct hit. SAILFISH then dove, rigged for depth charge attack. 36 depth charges were dropped. SAILFISH cleared the area safely.

On 23 and 24 June, enemy targets were sighted, but no attacks were made dust to radical maneuvering of the enemy vessels. However, on 25 June, three freighters with an escorting plane and ship came into view, and SAILFISH approached. In firing position, the submarine fired at the lead ship, a desirable enemy freighter, scoring a direct hit. She dove immediately and was set upon by the convoy's escorts, and 26 depth charges were dropped. An hour after the last depth charge was heard, SAILFISH surfaced to periscope level, and only one escort vessel was sighted. Diving again, the enemy escort dropped 71 depth charges, causing only minor damage to the submarine.

She arrived at Midway on 3 July, concluding her eighth patrol. Completely refitted, the submarined sailed out of Midway on 25 July for her Ninth War Patrol.

SAILFISH passed through the islands of Bonins, Nansei Shoto, Tokumo Shima, and between Yoron Shima and Okinoyerabu, to her new patrol area, off the Formosa Straits. She made several minor contacts, and proceeded onto Okinawa Gunto area, then to Nakagusu. She then returned to Midway Islands on 16 September, transferred her torpedoes to USS SPERRY, and set sail for Pearl Harbor. She arrived on 20 September, concluding her Ninth War Patrol. All the contacts she made on this last patrol were minor skirmishes of no major consequence.

Once again refitted and ready to go, SAILFISH steamed out of Pearl Harbor on 17 November, entering her Tenth War Patrol. She arrived at Midway on 21 November, refueled and provisioned, and departed the same day. At 2348 on 3 December, during typhoon weather, she made contact with an enemy ship and commenced tracking it. SAILFISH, in pursuit of the enemy vessel encountered several more, and the original method of attack was abandoned primarily due to severe weather conditions and rough seas. The enemy vessels, it was determined, were a swift group of monomania composed of an aircraft carrier, cruiser and destroyers.

At 0012, 4 September, she selected the largest target, the carrier, and fired a spread of four torpedoes scoring two direct hits. Immediately pursued by the enemy escorts, SAILFISH dove, and counted 18 depth charges thrown down at her. Because of the lucrative targets, the submarine hovered close to the area. After the enemy fire, getting uncomfortably close to their target, the depth charges subsided. At 0748, at periscope depth, SAILFISH sighted the evasive target. It appeared that the crew of the carrier was abandoning ship. The carrier was listing to port and down slightly at the stern. At 0940, three more torpedoes were fired at the carrier at a range of 1,700 yards, scoring two direct hits. This time there was no question of the results - loud breaking-up noises were heard, and sounds of explosions.

Again, SAILFISH was subjected to an intensified anti-submarine attack by the enemy escort. She spotted a Takao Class cruiser, several destroyers, at periscope depth, and again SAILFISH dove deep, rigged for another depth charge attack. From 0940 to 1330 she was subjected to anti-submarine attack. Finally, SAILFISH surfaced to periscope depth to survey the area, noting the departure of the escort vessels. She then set sail for her next assigned patrol area.

On 7 December SAILFISH was subjected to an enemy plane strafing, resulting in minor, superficial damages. She was taken by surprise, however, the submarine proceeded toward her rendezvous. At 1154 on the 13th, she made contact with two enemy cargo ships, with escorts. SAILFISH commenced tracking.

She fired four torpedoes at the two overlapping freighters. She dove deep, and heard the explosions as the torpedoes hit their targets, and one sound was a double report, which meant an inner explosion of the enemy freighter.

In hot pursuit by the enemy's escort, SAILFISH escaped the depth charge pounding. The following morning at 0125, the submarine surfaced and began to close in on the Japanese convoy again. At 0245, SS 192 noted additional enemy escorts, and where they came from to join the original convoy is a matter of speculation. Due to the suicidal odds, the submarine cleared the area.

Later on in the evening of 20 December, SAILFISH made contact with yet another Japanese convoy, consisting of six heavily loaded cargo ships with two destroyers. She commenced tracking at once. It was heartbreaking to have such prime targets, and ironically with only five torpedoes left on board. However, SAILFISH chose the largest target, and at 1133 she swung into firing position, firing three tubes, scoring a direct bullseye.

The destroyer escorts pursued the submarine and in a futile effort to "kill" SAILFISH, failed in their depth charge bombardment. The submarine surfaced, conducted a search, but failed to find the convoy. She continued her patrol until 23 December 1943, and then set sail, once again, for Pearl Harbor via Midway. She completed her Tenth, and most successful, War Patrol.

From Pearl Harbor, SAILFISH headed back to the mainland, to San Francisco, and during the period between 15 January and 17 June, the ship was completely overhauled. Her battle scars removed, she was outfitted from stem to stern. She then returned to Pearl Harbor on 9 July 1944. She sailed with USS BILLFISH and GREENLING. She left Pearl Harbor to enter her Eleventh War Patrol in the area south of Formosa and north of Luzon.

She tied up at Midway on the 13th of July, and the three-sub "wolf pack" departed the following day. After several unproductive encounters with the enemy, sighting only one small enemy craft, contact was finally made with a convoy at 1430 on 7 August. After tracking the convoy for over three hours, SAILFISH got into firing position, sending a spread of three torpedoes towards her goal, a single-stack tanker. The torpedoes were on target and sank the vessel. SAILFISH, undaunted by the kill, pursued the remaining ships of the convoy. GREENLING, evidently had eliminated one other ship in the convoy. However, the convoy was lost to view.

At 0029 on 18 August, radar contact was made with enemy ships, SAILFISH pursued and commenced tracking. The enemy convoy was made up of a Japanese battleship and three escort vessels. SAILFISH closed in on the battleship. At 0135, she was in firing position at a range of 3,600 yards. The submarine fired four torpedoes. An escort vessel got into the path of the missiles and received two of the torpedoes - she sank immediately. The battleship went unharmed. She immediately dove for depth charging - none were forthcoming, however. Surfacing, the submarine was out-distanced by the faster surface ship. SAILFISH's radar made radar contact with yet another convoy, and at 0245 on 24 August she neared her target. This convoy was made up of four enemy ships, escorted by two small patrol crafts. It is believed USS BILL-FISH also got into the attack.

Again at periscope level, SAILFISH closed in on the second freighter, and at 0446 she gained firing position, a spread of four torpedoes. She scored two direct hits. The submarine then cleared the area of attack.

On 6 September 1944, at 1215, SAILFISH headed back towards Midway, thus completing her Eleventh War Patrol. Following her refit, on 26 September, together with USS POMFRET and PARCHE, they sailed off to the Formosa and Luzon area, her twelth War Patrol.

Passing through a typhoon, SAILFISH reached her destination. While south of Formosa, on 12 October, she rescued eleven Navy Airmen who, being unable to reach their aircraft carriers, had ditched their stricken planes after making strikes on Formosa. On this day her guns sank a sampan and damaged a Japanese tug, as the enemy vessels tried to beat her to a life raft bearing surviving airmen. The following day, another pilot was rescued, and shortly thereafter her radio transmitter went out of commission.

SAILFISH then made contact with the submarine PARCHE and headed for Saipan to debark the rescued airmen, and to effect repairs, mooring there on 24 October. After one false start on the 28th, the underseas raider, repairs completed, steamed away in the company of USS PARCHE and POMFRET, stood out of Saipan to continue her patrol on the following day. Then, at 0304 on 3 November, SAILFISH made contact with an enemy convoy. The convoy consisted of a large transport, cargo ship and four escort vessels. The submarine closed in for firing position.

At 0402, SAILFISH fired a spread of four torpedoes from her bow nests at the transport which was overlapping one of the escorts. At the last minute, however, the transport turned causing the torpedoes to miss their mark. SAILFISH dove deep, pursued by the escorts. They dropped seven depth charges. An hour after the last charge, the submarine surfaced to find the area clear. She then headed for Sabtang Channel.

The following day at 0822, contact was made with a seven-ship "killer" group of enemy patrol craft, which was easily avoided. At 1544 this group was recontacted and SAILFISH fired a four torpedo spread at one of the enemy destroyers she was closing, scoring two hits which blew the destroyer out of the water. The sub then shifted her aim to the second destroyer, which was steaming to the aid of her stricken cohort, and fired three missiles from her stern nests.

A hit was heard on the second target, which seemed to sink also. Shortly before and after shooting the second vessel, several bombs landed close by. SAILFISH went deep and on the way down flooding and a fire was discovered in her after torpedo room, caused by the enemy's bombing damage to a torpedo vent which refused to close. With the crew working as a single unit, the fire was quickly extinguished, the flooding stopped, and the ship was brought to an even keel.

SAILFISH, with the enemy "killer" group still searching, managed to clear the area by brilliant maneuvering. Upon surfacing at 2340 an inspection of topside revealed one Japanese "G-string" on her forecastle and one pair of Japanese pants caught on her forward gun. SS 192 thereby claimed to be the first, submarine to not only catch a "Jap" with his pants down but also to actually take them off.

On 9 and 10 November the submarine rode out a moderate typhoon, and at 1805 on 24 November she made contact with an enemy convoy, consisting of four cargo ships in column with four escorts, heading for the shelter off the coast of Itbayat.

SAILFISH contacted POMFRET by radio and gave her the position of the targets, and after over two hours of tracking, while closing into position, one of the enemy escorts suddenly swung away from the column and headed directly for her. The submarine fired a three-torpedo "down-the-throat" shot at the escort, and two hits were apparently scored on the target as her pip disappeared from the radar screen and smoke was observed at the target. However, the submarine received quite a surprise, when upon swinging to attack the cargo ships, the escort whose pip had disappeared from the screen, started letting fly with her forward deck guns.

The escort scored one hit nearby, and submergence was held up until it was ascertained that the submarine had sustained no damage. SAILFISH went deep, and shortly afterwards six fairly close depth charges forced her deeper, but caused no damage. Three sets of screws now were picked up on the sound gear - all hunting SAILFISH - , and although the submarine was running silent, the enemy kept contact with her. During this four and a half hour depth charge attack, 27 more charges were dropped, uncomfortably close, and caused much minor damage to the sub, which slightly hindered her operation.

However, at 0135 the enemy gave up their savage and relentless attack. SAILFISH was at last able to leave the area. Shortly afterwards, she sailed for Pearl Harbor via the Midway Islands. She arrived at Pearl Harbor on 11 December, thus completing her Twelth and final war patrol.

Following a brief refit, SAILFISH stood out of Pearl Harbor on 26 December 1944, en route to New London, Connecticut, via the Panama Canal, arriving at New London on 22 January 1945. For four and a half months, SS 192 served as a training submarine in the New London area.

SAILFISH got underway from New London on 4 June en route to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, arriving there on 9 June. The submarine served in this area until 9 August, when she departed for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She docked at Philadelphia on the 14th, and remained there until 1 October, when she steamed for Portsmouth, New Hampshire, arriving there on the 2nd.

SAILFISH went under deactivation at Portsmouth, ironically started on Navy Day, 27 October 1945. She was decommissioned amid elaborate ceremonies at her "home yard." For 27 months she was used as a target and other training purposes and scheduled to be used as a target in the Atomic Bomb tests. However, this plan was scrapped. She was sold for dismantling and scrap on 12 March 1948. She was stricken from the U. S. Naval Vessel Registry on 30 April 1948.

SAILFISH was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her extremely successful Tenth War Patrol. The citation reads:

"For outstanding performance in combat against strongly escorted escorted task forces and convoys in Japanese-controlled waters during the successful Tenth War Patrol. Despite extremely hazardous weather conditions, the SAILFISH regularly striking at enemy convoys accurately and with aggressive determination, completely destroyed four important hostile vessels and inflicted heavy damage on another. The superb combat efficiency and readiness for battle of the SAILFISH throughout this vital period reflects great credit upon her gallant officers and men and the United States Naval Service."